My name is Carlo DeVito, and I am the author of East Coast Wineries: A Complete Guide from Maine to Virginia published by Rutgers University Press. This blog is dedicated to primarily east coast wines and wineries including Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. It will also feature products and information from other regions.

Friday, April 02, 2010

BARREL TASTING AT RAPHAEL WINERY

So I went with my wife and kids to Long Island a little time ago, and have been compiling my notes ever since. I met with Rich Olsen-Harbich, and he led me, my wife, and kids, through the winery, and let me and Dominique taste a few things.

We took the ferry over from Connecticut. The boys had a ball, and we sat with a very nice gentleman, Barry Sherman from Massachusetts, who told us of all the things he had seen taking the ferry for more than 20 years. A submarine passed by on it's way to Electric Boats, which is the submarine building company near New London, CT.

Rich, and his assistant winemaker, Don Vino, were bottling when we arrived.

They boys had fun, as Rich let them climb the the stairs near the tanks.

Here's they're new bottling line. Very fancy.

And then there was the barrel tasting.

Now some notes:

First Label Merlot 2008 is ready to bottle and be bottle aged for at least a year, according to Rich. The wine had a huge nose - vanilla, plum, deep dark cherry, a touch of blackberry and a hint of prune. Wonderful. A nice dry finish. One of the best east coast wines I have ever had. This one is the one to buy!!!!!!

Cabernet Franc 2009 was wonderful. A nice, medium bodied red, with nice bright and dark cherry flavors. Fresh. Drinkable. Very nice. A nice surprise, considering the weather of last year.

Petite Verdot 2009 was deep in color, a ruby/garnet wine, with lots of fun up front fruit, and elegant balance. Another winner.

Merlot 2009 is a bright red claret, full of fresh fruit, with notes of bright cherry, raspberry, and already a slight hint of vanilla. Very exciting. Again, a triumph, considering last year's weather.

Richard Olsen-Harbich has created a First Growth Estate at Raphael. He's always fascinated by new things, like releasing his white wine Narturale (read Lenn Thompson's review at NYCR - see tag below) which has gotten rave reviews, so he's always stretching. But he has created something so incredibly special at Raphael, few wineries on the east coast could or can emulate. The wines are consistent and superb, like few other places. His abilities as a winemaker are incredible. And the winery itself is a marvel.

Pages

About Me

Carlo DeVito is a long time wine lover, and author of books and magazine articles. He is the author of Wineries of the East Coast. He has traveled to wine regions in California, Canada, up and down the east coast, France, Spain and Chile. He has been a published executive for more than 20 years. He shepherded the wine book program of Wine Spectator as well as worked with Kevin Zraly, Oz Clarke, Matt Kramer, Tom Stevenson, Evan Dawson, Greg Moore, Howard Goldberg, and many other wine writers. He has also published Salvatore Calabrese, Jim Meehan, Clay Risen, and Paul Knorr.
Mr. DeVito is the inventor of the mini-kit which has sold more than 100,000,000 copies world wide. He has also publisher such writers as Stephen Hawking, E. O Wilson, Philip Caputo, Gilbert King, James McPherson, John and Mary Gribbin, Thomas Hoving, David Margolick, Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr., John Edgar Wideman, Stanley Crouch, Dan Rather, Dee Brown, Susie Bright, and Eleanor Clift.
He is also the owner of Hudson-Chatham Winery, co-founder of the Hudson Berkshire Beverage Trail, and president of the Hudson Valley Wine Country.
https://carlodevito.wordpress.com/